
Qass. 
Book 






CANADA 
DEPARTMENT OF MINES 

Hon. Loins Codsbbt, MimsTUB; A. P. Low, Dkpdtt MnosTBB 

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

R. W. Bbook, Dibbotob 



MEMOIR 45 



No. 3, Anthropological Sbbies 



The "Inviting-In^^ Feast 

of the 

Alaskan Eskimo 



BT 



Ernest William Hawkes 




51158S5 



OTTAWA 

GOTBBNMENT FBINTINa BuBlDAi; 

1913 



N*. 1317 



CANADA 
DEPARTMENT OF MINES 

Hon. Louis Coderbe, Ministee; A. P. Low, Deputy Ministei 

GEOLOGICALSURVEY 

R. W. Brock, Director 



MEMOIR 45 



No. 3, Anthropological Series 



It- 



The "Inviting-In" Feast 

of the 

Alaskan Eskimo 



Ernest William Hawlies 




5ia%5 



OTTAWA 

Government Printing Burhau 

1913 






P 



No. 1317 



• f 7//^?^ 



X 






CONTENTS 



Page. 

Introductory 1 

The Kazgi, or Dance-House 4 

The Naskuk, or Maker of the Feast 7 

The dance-songs 9 

Comic dances 12 

Group dances 14 

Totem dances 15 

Key to characters used 18 

Addendum 19 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

Plate I. — Comic mask End 

II. — Comic mask " 

III. — Comic mask, "Indian." " 

IV. — Reindeer girdle « 

V. — Wolf skin armlets and fillet " 

VI. — Walrus mask « 

VII.— Red Fox masks « 

VIII. — White Fox mask « 

IX. — Armlets and fox foot, used in fox dancing " 

X. — Crow mask " 

XI. — Inua mask « 

XII. — Finger masks " 

XIII. — Handlets, used by women dancers supporting men taking 

animal parts " 

Fig. 1. — Side elevation of St. Michael Kdzgi 5 

2. — Floor plan, showing interior arrangement of the Kdzgi and 

positions of the dancers and guests 6 

3. — The asking-stick, (aiyaguk) 8 

4. — Eskimo drum (chauyak) 9 



THE "INVITING-IN" FEAST OF THE 
ALASKAN ESKIMO 



INTRODUCTORY. 



In the winter of 1911-12, 1 was located at St. Michael, Alaska, 
as government teacher in charge of the Unaligmiut Eskimo of 
that vicinity. When, in January, it was rumored that a 
great mask festival was to be celebrated in conjunction with the 
neighbouring Unalaklit, Malemiut from Norton sound, I immedi- 
ately became interested, particularly since the natives informed 
me that it was to be the Aithukagflk, or "Inviting-In" Feast: 
a native festival which had not, to my knowledge, been witnessed 
by scientific observers before. 

The Aithukagiik, or "Inviting-In" Feast, is observed in 
the month of January, after the local rites' — the Aiyaguk, or 
Asking Festival, and the Bladder Feast (Tcauiyilk) — have been 
completed. The "Inviting-In" Feast is a matter of great moment 
to the Eskimo, for on it depends the success of the hunters. 
It differs from the Bladder Feast in that while the latter placates 
the spirits of animals already slain, the AithiikagCk is an appeal 
to the spirits represented by the masks, the totemic guardians of 
the performers, for future success in hunting. In the Eskimo 
ritual, this festival is only equalled in importance by the Aithil- 
katilkhtflk, the Great Feast of the Dead. One supplies the 
material wants of the living, the other the spiritual needs of the 
dead. 

The Eskimo village of St. Michael, or Tatcek,' where the 
celebration was to take place, is situated on an island near the 
mouth of the Yukon river. On account of its convenient posi- 
tion at the mouth of the river, it is the chief port for the Yukon 
trade, and was selected as such by the Russian-American Fur 

'Held during the months of November and December. 

•Known as Tezuk to northern tribes. , 



Company. As a result of long occupation the Unalit' became 
mixed with the Russian traders, so that at the present time a 
majority bear Russian names, and belong to the Russian church, 
although still practising their ancient religion. 

The Unalaklit, on the contrary, have kept their blood and 
customs pure. They are counted as a model Eskimo tribe, 
and look down on their unfortunate neighbours, who have been 
unable to resist the encroachment of the white man, and its 
inevitable result — native deterioration. The Unalaklit are the 
southernmost branch of the Malemiut; the largest and most 
warlike tribe of Alaskan Eskimo. 

The early home of the Malemiut was on Kotzebue sound; 
but in following the wild reindeer which formerly covered the 
interior of Alaska, they spread across Seward peninsula, crowd- 
ing back the weaker tribes — the Kavaigmiut and Unaligmiut. 

The Unalit never resisted the encroachment of these power- 
ful invaders, as they were continually harassed by the Magemiut 
of the lower Yukon, and in most encounters came off second 
best. The remains of one of their villages, which was wiped 
out by the Magemiut, can still be seen on a little island in St. 
Michael bay. It is very probable that the present good feeling 
between the tribes may be due to help received against the 
Yukon raiders; at any rate, the Malemiut and Unaligmiut 
mingle freely in border villages like Shatolik and Unalaklit, 
hence it is not surprising that, for many years, they have cele- 
brated the great inter-tribal feasts together. 

But my anxiety to witness the feast nearly came to grief 
owing to the over-zealous action of the young missionary in 
nominal charge of the Unalaklit. He scented some pagan 
performance in the local preparations, and promptly appealed 
to the military commander of the district to put a stop to the 
whole thing. Consequently, it was a very sober delegation of 
Eskimo that waited on me the next day — including the headmen 
and the shaman who had been hired to make the masks and 
direct the dances — to ask my assistance. They said that if they 
were forbidden to celebrate the feast on the island they would 
take to the mountains of the interior and perform their rites 
where they could not be molested. But if I said they could 

'Or Unaligmiut. 



dance, they would go on with their preparations. They also 
asked me to use my influence with the military commander. To 
this I readily consented. 

I found the captain a very liberal man, not at all disposed to 
interfere with a peaceful native celebration, which had lost most 
of its religious significance, and which was still maintained mainly 
for its social significance, and as offering an opportunity for 
trade between two friendly tribes. The last day of the festival 
he was invited to attend, as the Eskimo wished him to see the 
dances for himself, and form his own opinion. On this occasion 
the Unalaklit chief made a remarkable speech, in which he 
summed up the native attitude toward the dance. The Eskimo 
is not given to public speaking, as is the Indian, and usually 
expresses himself in the shortest possible manner; but under 
the stress of strong emotion even he becomes eloquent. 

"To stop the Eskimo singing and dancing," he said, "was 
like cutting the tongue out of a bird. It was as natural for them 
to dance as it was for the white man to eat and sleep. They 
had danced long before the white men came, and would not 
know how to spend the long dark winters if their only form of 
amusement was taken away. 

"They did not dance for pleasure alone, but to attract the 
game, so that their families might be fed. If they did not dance, 
the spirits (inua) who attended the feast would be angry, and 
the animals would stay away. The shades of their ancestors 
would go hungry, since there would be no one to feed them at 
the festivals. Their own names would be forgotten if no name- 
sake could sing their praises in the dance. 

"There was nothing bad about their dances; which made 
their hearts good toward each other, and tribe friendly with 
tribe. If the dances were stopped, the ties between them would 
be broken, and the Eskimo would cease to be 'strong.' 

"They were as little children before the white men, who 
could see if their dances were good. If anything about them 
was bad they would stop them, but if not, they would never 
brook any interference again." 

The old Unalit chief arose and explained that the dances 
also supplied the wants of the Eskimo. The interchange of 
gifts at the festivals resulted in each tribe getting what they 



needed most. At the conclusion of the feast the surplus was 
distributed among the needy natives. He smote his breast as 
he sat down, declaring that his heart was good. 

At the conclusion of the feast I asked the old man for the 
masks which had been used in the dances. They are usually 
burned by the shaman after the ceremonies are over. I was 
much surprised the next day when the old fellow appeared with 
the masks and the whole paraphernalia of the dancers. The 
people were grateful, he said, for the assistance I had given them. 
I believe he got around the religious difficulty by supplying an 
equal amount of wood for the sacrificial fire. I also was obliged 
to make gifts to the other headmen, so that the kdzgi ihua^^— 
the spirit which sits in the posts and presides over the kdzgi — 
might not be offended. 

THE KAZGI, OR DANCE-HOUSE. 

The kdzgi (or kacim, as it is known among the Yukon 
Eskimo) is the communal house of the village. It is the club 
house, town hall, bath house, and dancing pavilion, all in one. 
Here, the unmarried men — termed kazgimiut, or kazgi people — 
make their home; here, tribal meetings are held; here, the men 
gather for the sweat bath; and here, strangers are entertained 
and the annual dances and festivals held. In short, the kdzgi 
is the centre of the Eskimo's life. As a child he must gain 
admittance by gifts to the people, and to the kdzgi ihua, the 
spirit which is master of the kdzgi. In manhood he takes his 
seat on the itllak, or platform, according to his age and rank. 
Even in death he is represented by a namesake in the kdzgi, 
who feeds his shade and extols his virtues at the Feast to the 
Dead. 

The kdzgi is usually built on a larger scale than the native 
house or inne, and, for convenience sake, is located near the 
centre of the village. It has, as a rule, a winter and a summer 
entrance, the former being used by the shamans and dancers, 
and the latter by the public. 

This arrangement, however, is only for convenience, and 
guests and dancers mingle freely in the festivals. The following 

'The K&zyi inua is supposed to appear in the shape of a decrepit old man, who has no 
hair on his body or bones in the back of his head. To touch him -would result in immediate death. 
See Boas, The Central Eskimo, pp. 597 acd 636, 6th Annual Report, Bureau of Ethnology. 



5 

illustration shows the side elevation of the St. Michael kdzffi 
(Fig. 1). 




Fig. 1. Side elevation of St. Michael Kdzgi. 
A. Outer vestibule. 

B and D. Winter and summer entrances. 
C. Entrance hole, connecting with tunnel. 

E. E. Platform, seat of chorus and guests. 

F. Smoke hole, covered with walrus intestine. 

G. Fireplace, used in sweat baths, also as hiding place for dancers entering at B. 

The arrangement of the kdzgi is similar to that of the 
ordinary native house, with the exception that the family- 
quarters which mark the latter are absent. The fireplace in 
the centre of the room, which is used in the sweat baths, is much 
wider and deeper. It is kept covered by the floor planks when 
not in use. In this chamber the spirits are supposed to sit and 
enjoy the dances given in their honour, and offerings of meat 
and drink are placed here for them, or delivered to them through 
the cracks of the floor. 

The itllak, or bed platform, runs around the room on all 
four sides, at about the height of the shoulders. Entrance is 
made through the dgveak, or tunnel, and the visitor pops up 
through the pugyarak, or floor hole, in the centre of the room, 
like an enlarged edition of a "jack-in-the-box." Having safely 
emerged, it is customary to wait until the headman assigns you 
a place. The kaan, or rear portion, of the house is the place 
of honour, and is accorded to the headmen, the best hunters, 
and visitors of distinction — the kaaklim; the right and left are 
the second best; while the oaklini, or front part, the coldest part 
of the kdzgi being near the entrance, is given the worthless and 
homeless, who contribute nothing to the support of the village. 
Directly above the fireplace is the rdlok, or smokehole, which 
is covered with a strip of walrus intestine. Often the shaman 



6 



makes a spectacular entrance by this means. It is also used 
as a window when the kdzgi is overcrowded, people standing 
on the top of the house and looking through. The following 
diagram will give the details of the interior, and also the positions 
of the dancers (Fig. 2). 







D 






XX XX X X J 






XXXI 








X 








H 




E 




© 

G 


E 




F 




B 


F 


















A 







Fig. 2. Floor plan, showing interior arrangement of the Kdzgi, and positions of the dancers 
and guests. 

A. Outer vestibule. 

B. Double entrance. Spectators use floor level, dancers tunnel. 

C. Entrance hole, connecting with tunnel. 

D. Rear platform, seat of naskuk and honoured guests. 

E. E. Side platforms, seats for common spectators. 

F. F. P'ront platforms, seats for orphans and worthless people. 

G. Fireplace, seat of spirit-guests. 
H. Position of chief dancer. 

I. Position of supporting dancers. 

J. Position of chorus of drummers and singers. 



THE NASKUK, OR MAKER OF THE FEAST. 

The maker of the feast is known as the ndskuk, or head. 
With this feast in view, he saves for years, as he has to feed the 
entire tribe of visitors during the first day of the festival. But 
although he often beggars himself, he gains great fame among 
the Eskimo, and lays all his guests under lasting obligation to 
him. In this respect the ''Inviting-In" Feast resembles the 
potlatch of the Alaskan Indian; and is often confused with the 
same by the white population. 

The ndskuk, having announced his intention to the villagers 
assembled in the kdzgi, a messenger is chosen — usually at the 
nomination of the ndskuk — to carry the invitation to the visitors. 
There is considerable rivalry for this position among the young 
men, as the messenger is newly clothed from head to foot. In 
a new squirrel-skin parka, plentifully trimmed with wolverine, 
reindeer boots, and sealskin leggings, he presents a brave 
appearance. 

In his hand he bears the aiydguk, or asking-stick' (Fig. 3). 
This is a long slender wand with three globes, made from strips 
of wood hanging from the end. When the messenger delivers 
the invitation, he swings the globes to and fro in front of the 
person addressed. The asking-stick as the symbol of the wishes 
of the tribe, is treated with scrupulous respect by the Eskimo; 
and it would be a lasting disgrace for anyone to disregard it. 
During the ceremonies it is hung up over the kdzgi entrance. 
The messenger receives the asking-stick from the hands of the 
ndskuk, together with an intimation of what presents would be 
acceptable to his tribe. As most Eskimo festivals result in 
more or less trading, it is usually some skins or other article of 
which the tribe is in need. In this case it was a request for 
ugriik (bearded seal) skins, which are general in use for miikluk 
(boot) soles. 

Having arrived at the visiting tribe, he enters the kdzgi on 
hands and knees, and presents the asking-stick to the village 
headman, with the message from his tribe. If the answer is 
favourable he is raised to his feet, a nd after he has learned the 

>The asking-stick is also used in a local festival of the same name. See Nelson, 
The Eskimo About Bering Strait, p. 359, 18th Annual Repoit, Bureau of Amencan Ethnology. 



wishes of his visitors, is feasted to his heart's content, and sent 
home loaded with presents. 

In the meantime, the home tribe gathers nightly in the 
kdzgi, awaiting his return. When it is rumored that he is near, 




Fig. 3. The Asking-Stick (.aiydguk). 



the vigil continues day and night. On his arrival, he crawls 
into the kdzgi and presents the asking-stick to the ndskuk, with 



the answer. If the answer is favourable, preparations begin 
immediately, and the village is scoured for the necessary gifts. 
It is a point of honour between the tribes to exceed the requests 
as much as possible. The visiting tribe also has the privilege 
of demanding any delicacy of the ndskuk during the first day's 
feast which fancy may suggest. This usually takes the form 
of meat out of season, or Eskimo "ice-cream" — a concoction of 
reindeer tallow, blueberries, and chunks of whitefish kneaded 
in the snow until it is frozen. Sometimes the ndskuk is hard 
put to it, but he must produce the necessary articles, or be 
disgraced forever. 

THE DANCE SONGS, 



When the feast has been decided upon, the people gather 




Fi«. 4. Eskimo drum (chduyak). 



10 

nightly in the kdzgi to rehearse. The songs are the property 
of some old man, the storehouse of tribal tradition; and he 
"sells" them to the different dancers, as the Eskimo say, which 
means that he teaches the people the proper dances for the 
festival, and they make him presents in turn. When the villagers 
have assembled, the oil lamps are extinguished, and the people 
sit in darkness^ while the old man gives out the songs — a few 
words at a time. Weeks are consumed in learning them properly; 
in acquiring every rise and fall, proper shade, and intonation. 
The drum is the only instrument employed. It is shaped like 
a tambourine, about two feet in diameter, and covered on one 
side with a thin membrane of the bladder of the walrus or seal. 
It is held by the handle level with the face, and struck with a 
flat thin stick. The northern tribes strike the back of the rim; 
but the Yukon tribes the face of the drum (Fig. 4.) 

With the Eskimo, rhythm is everything. The songs are 
based on the double drum-beat: two quick beats, then a pause, 
then two more. At any moment the leader drops an octave or 
changes the key; but the others follow instinctively, and there 
is no break or discord. The following measures, taken from 
the Crow Dance, will give an idea of this primitive type of song. 



V pp 










ft 




p 




a 






P -lUwid 


A 












"" 




Tf 


■rt 


■rr 


f-r 






IfVi ^ ^ 


f^' 


P^ 


■0^-4t 


1*^1*)* 


,1 , 


f? 


^^i^LMM 














v\)^ 


1 


1 


r r 


rfTT 




f 


-r-rfrf 










ff ff- 


f r 


LSJlZ 1 






















1 



.Drums 



Drums. 



Leader: tu-lil-kau-gok tcau-ya-ia-ka: Chorus: tu-lii-kau-gok 
nu-lerq-tuq-to-a kld-ku-ya kld-ku-ya d-yU"'-d-d-yu"^-d-a-a* ■ 
Translation: The crow song, I drum it. The crow, he wishes 
to take a wife. Kla-ku-ya. 

The chorus usuallj' consists of six men, led by the old man, 
who acts as prompter, calling off the words of the song a line 
ahead. The measure begins softly to a light tapping of the drums; 
then, at a given signal, comes a crashing double beat; the leader 

•The lamps are extinguished during the practice of the festival songs, so that any 
Bpirits which may be attracted by the sound of the music will not be frightened away by the light. 

•The words kla-ku-ya are imitative of the croak of the raven, the a-yun-U, a.yUn-a.il'ii, ig a 
monotonous refrain common to all Eskimo songs. 



PLATE I. 



Comic mask. Lower half and cheeks rod. Left labret, hght blue; ri<j;ht 
labret, dark blue. Moustacho and beard of mink. Hair, white reindeer. 
Eyebrow.s penciled. Size, (i X HJ^ inches. Divi.sion of Anthiopology. 
Museum Xo. 1\'. E, .STO. 



Plate I. 




Comic mask. 



11 

announces the dance in stentorian tones, the song thunders out, 
soaring high until the voices of the singers crack; then drops to 
lower pitch and breaks off abruptly in the middle of the measure. 
Every one is privileged to join in after the song has been started; 
and the shrill treble of the women and children can be distinctly 
heard above the shouting of the men and the thumping of the 
drums. 

The Eskimo dances naturally and enthusiastically, stamping 
each foot twice in succession, and jerking his arms to the double 
beat of the drums. The women dance differently, swaying 
the body from the hips, and waving the arms with outspread 
palms. Both sexes have dances of their own, but occasionally 
dance together, the woman being the central figure and the men 
dancing around her. Nothing pleases the Eskimo more than an 
exaggerated imitation by one of their clever actors of the woman's 
dance. 

The northern style of dancing differs as much from the 
southern as does the beating of the drums. The northerners 
leap and bound and stamp out their lines with tremendous vigour; 
while the southerners sit on the floor of the kdzgi, and, adorned 
with fillets and masks and feathers, wave their hands in graceful 
unison. 

The Eskimo delight in telling an old legend which illustrates 
this difference : — 

A long time ago, they say, when the Eskimo first came into 
the country, there was only a single woman between the man 
who lived in the north and the man who lived in the south. In 
their struggle for possession of the woman, one took hold of her 
hands and the other of her feet, with the result that she was 
pulled in two, the hands and upper half going to the man of the 
north, and the feet and lower half to the man of the south. At 
first they were each much perplexed as to what to do with only 
half a woman; but eventually conceived the plan of whittling out 
the missing parts in wood; this they did, and found they grew 
together nicely. 

Consequently, the northern woman was an adept with the 
needle but a wooden dancer, while her southern sister was an 
indifferent sewer but a charming performer in the kdzgi. The 
same distinction descended to their children. 



12 

The "Inviting-In" dances partake somewhat of the nature 
of the nith contests of Greenland. Each party puts forth its 
best actors, and strives in every way to outdo the other. During 
the first day, when the comic dances are on, the tribe succeeding 
in making the other laugh can demand anything of them they 
wish. The best dancers receive valuable presents. 

The actors themselves go through the same general motions 
as the ordinary dancers, never losing a step or a gesture, at the 
same time fitting their movements to the character in hand. 
As much as possible they strive to make every gesture expressive, 
and succeed so well that a stranger could tell the part they repre- 
sent, even if the prompter did not call it out at the beginning 
of the song. In fact, I have often wondered if they were not 
possessed b}^ the spirit of the animal they depicted when dancing, 
as the Eskimo believe. 

The actor's outfit consists of a face mask, armlets, finger 
masks, and fillets. In certain dances the actor also carries 
a staff. The masks are of tw^o types — those intended to 
excite merriment and good feeling among the guests, and 
those worn to honor the iiiua of the animals in whose honour 
the dance is given. They are made by some noted shaman 
employed by the tribe, who also has general direction of the 
dances. They are very clever representations and will be 
described as they occur in the dances. 

The finger masks are diminutive masks with an animal 
head in miniature. They are plentifully adorned with feathers; 
which give the idea of flying as the dancers' arms sweep through 
the air. The women (supporting dancers) use plain handlets 
of woven grass and feathers. The armlets and fillets are of fur 
or feathers corresponding to the animal represented. 

COMIC DANCES. 

First Day. The dances the first day are of a comic charac- 
ter. If, during the day's dances, the home tribe can succeed in 
making the visitors laugh, they can ask of them anything 
they wish. 

Entering the kdzgi, I noticed that the walls and iiilak had 
been hung with white drilling {katuktokuowitklok) , as a gift to 



13 

the visitors; who, in their turn, had covered the floor with ugruk 
(bearded seal) skins. Shortly after the people began to file in. 

As each man entered he threw down a small gift before the 
ndskut, as is customary on such occasions. As soon as every 
one was settled, the dances began. Strange noises were heard 
in the tunnel, gradually approaching the room. Then a horrible- 
looking wooden face was thrust up through the entrance hole, 
worn by the chief comic dancer of the Unalit. The mask was 
made lop-sided, with one cheek higher than the other, and the 
mouth and eyebrows twisted to one side. One eyelet was round, 
the other being in the shape of a half moon. A stubby moustache 
and beard of mink fur, and labrets of green beads, completed 
the ludicrous effect. He gazed around the audience in silence 
for a full minute, throwing the children into fits of mingled 
terror and delight. Then the leader commenced the dance 
invitation, and the pantomine began. Sitting in front of the 
hole, the actor gesticulated with his feather handlets after the 
usual manner of the Eskimo; occasionally turning his head from 
side to side with the foolish stare of a crazy person. But the 
Malemiut visitors, although their eyes twinkled, never cracked 
a smile. 

Then he disappeared through the hole, coming up with a 
hideous green mask, with a long nose, and a big red streak for a 
mouth. Surrounding the mask was a bristling bush of reindeer 
hair. He sat down solemnly, and all his motions were slow and 
sad. Every gesture, while keeping in perfect time with the 
music, expressed the profoundest dejection. As a serio-comic, 
this was even more funny than the other, and the Unalit, who 
could safely do so, fairly roared. But the cautious visitors sat 
as solemn as owls. 

Then the Unalit trotted out their champion, a lithe old 
fellow, wonderfully graceful and impressive in his movements. 
He wore a mask adorned with feathers and an enormous nose, 
which I was told was a caricature of the Yukon Indian. The 
Eskimo have lost none of their old hatred for their former foes, 
and still term them in derision iiikilik,^ ''louse-eaters;" from the 
fact of their long hair being full of these pests. Neither is the 
Eskimo, with tonsur ed head, free from the same afiliction; as I 

'Literally, "those having lice." 



14 

learned more than once, at a crowded dance, to my temporary 
affliction. 

The old man took his place in the centre of the floor amid 
perfect silence. With head on his breast and hands at rest on 
his lap he seemed sunk in some deep reverie. Then he raised his 
hand to his head and cracked a louse audibly. This was too much 
for the Unalaklit, and they howled with laughter. Then, having 
won the day by this ruse, the old man began his dance. Two 
women with feather handlets stepped forth, and accompanied 
him, imitating his every move. Higher and higher he swung 
his hands, like the rapid upward wheel of a carrier pigeon. Then 
the dance stopped as abruptly as the others; the day was won. 

Immediately the food for the feast was brought in. It 
consisted of a strange and bewildering array of native delicacies : 
ancient duck eggs, strips of walrus blubber, frozen seal-meat, 
boiled entrails, kantags of blueberries and lichens, and various 
other dishes which appeal to the stomach of an Eskimo. Not 
having any particular desire to partake of the same, I took my 
departure. 

GROUP DANCES. 

Second Day. Entering the kdzgi the second day, I noticed 
that the floor was covered with small heaps of skin and calico. 
As the Unalaklit came in, each man added to the pile. This, 
I was informed, was the price of the first day's defeat, and that 
they were looking for ample revenge the second day. 

They began with a "muscle" dance. This consisted mainly 
in comic posturing and in a droll display of the biceps. Occasion- 
ally the dancers would glance down the heaving muscles of the 
back and shoulders or extend their arms and make the muscles 
quiver. The Unaht, in their turn, attempted to imitate the 
same, and outdo the visitors, but although their big clown 
dancer exhibited his enormous arms and legs to good advantage, 
they were evidently outdone. Nothing daunted, they began 
another series, the contest consisting in the ability of the opposite 
side to guess the meaning of the dances. To this end, ancient 
dances which have fallen into disuse or been forgotten, except 
by the old men, are resurrected and practised in secret. 



15 

A young woman appeared in the centre of the floor wearing 
a white reindeer parka* and a girdle of reindeer hair tied around 
her waist. She began the conventional motions of the woman's 
dance, glancing nervously round her. Then men dancers, wear- 
ing fillets and armlets of wolf-skin, leaped down from the ii]lak 
and surrounded her, jumping about and howling hideously. 
As the dance-song quickened, they became more and more 
excited, until the floor became one confused mass of shaggy heads 
and wildly tossing arms. The drums redoubled the beat, until the 
kdzgi fairly rocked under the volume of sound and the stamping 
feet. Then, as suddenly as the pandemonium began, it ended. 

This was easily guessed as the wolf-pack pulling down a 
reindeer. 

Not to be outdone, the Unalaklit presented a very ancient 
dance from their old home, Kotzebue sound. This dance, I 
was told, was two hundred years old, and the old-style dance of 
the Malemiut. Strangely enough, no drums were used, but the 
chorus consisted of a double row of men who used ivory clappers 
to mark the time. Instead of stamping, the dancers bounded 
up and down on the balls of their feet, holding the legs arched 
and rigid. No one was able to fathom this dance. It was 
different from any Eskimo dance I have ever seen. It might be 
an earlier form, or borrowed from the Dene. So the visitors 
won the honours of the second day, and left the kdzgi in high 
good humour. 

TOTEM DANCES.' 

Third Day. The third day the contest reached its climax. 
The best dancers of each party were put forth, and the interest 
became intense. For months they had been trained in their 
parts, until every movement had become almost instinctive. 
Each appeared in full regalia of armlets, fillets, and handlets, 
adapted to their part. Their appearance was the signal for a 
demonstration on the part of their friends and every new turn 
or movement which they introduced into their dance received 
attention. 

"During the early occupation of Alaska by Russian fur-traders, several words of 
Kamchatkan origin were introduced, and incorporated in the native languages, among them 
parka. It should be pronounced porfci, but it being sanctioned by general use, I have retained 
the usual form. 

"Totem marks on personal property and grave posts can still be seen among the 
Alaskan Eskimo, but the accompanying subdivision of the people into clans has evidently 
broken down. 



16 

The first actors were women, who went through the house- 
hold occupations of the Eskimo in pantomime, illustrating the 
curing and dressing of skins, the sewing and making of garments, 
adapting the movements to the woman's dance. 

Then a Unalaklit man took the floor and depicted the life 
of the walrus. 

He wore a very life-like looking walrus mask, and enacted 
the features of the walrus hunt, modifying the usual gestures. 
In pantomine he showed the clumsy movements of the great 
animal moving over the ice, the hunter approaching, and his 
hasty plunge into the water, then the hunter paddling furiously 
after him, the harpoon thrust, and the struggles of the dying 
walrus. 

Next two young Unalit gave the Red Fox dance. They wore 
the usual fur trimmings and masks, and the leader flourished 
a fox foot with which he kept time to the music. This dance 
depicted the cunning habits of the little beast, and his finish in 
the trap of the hunter. The Unalaklit responded with the 
White Fox dance, which was quite similar, showing a fox stalking 
a ptarmigan. One actor represented the fox and the other the 
ptarmigan. The stealthy movements and spring of the fox 
were cleverly given. 

The Unalit, on whom the dance had made a great impression, 
put forward their best dancer in the celebrated Crow Dance. 

The dancer entered from behind the press of the crowd, 
stooping low and imitating the cawing of the raven. The cries 
appeared to come from above, below, in fact, everywhere in the 
room. Then he appeared in all his glory. He wore a raven 
mask with an immense beak, and bordered with fur and feathers. 
Labrets and fillets of wood adorned the sides, and a spotted black 
and white design covered the forehead. He bore a staff in his 
hand decorated with a single feather. After pirouetting around 
the room in a ridiculous fashion, he disappeared in the crowd 
and appeared dragging a bashful woman, who was similarly 
attired. They danced for a short time together, the raven 
continuing his amatory capers. Then, evidently tiring of her 
charms, he disappeared into the crowd on the opposite side of 
the kdzgi and reappeared bearing in tow another bride. 



17 

evidently younger. After squawking and pirouetting around her 
for a while, the three danced, the two women supporting him, 
making a pleasing background of waving arms and feathers. 
At the conclusion of the dance, he seeks again his first love, 
and is angrily repulsed while seeking to embrace her. This 
greatly amuses the audience. Then the three leave the scene, 
quarrelling and pushing one another. 

This concluded the dances proper. Then the shaman don- 
ned an inua mask\ and began running around the entrance 
hole in ever lessening circles. He finally tumbled over and lay 
in a trance, the while he was communing with the spirit-guests 
(so the Eskimo told me) in the fire-place below. After a time 
he came to and informed the hunters that the inua had been 
pleased with the dances and promised their further protection 
for a successful season. 

After appropriate offerings of meat and drink and tobacco 
had been made to them through the cracks in the floor, the 
celebration broke up, and the Unalaklit started home. 

'Before commencing his part, the shaman daubed soot from the kdzgi waU on his 
breast. This was supposed to put him en rapport with the spirit-guests. 



18 



KEY TO CHARACTERS USED. 



a, e, I, o, u, long vowels. 
a, e, i, 0, u, short vowels. 

0, as in hat. 
a, as in law. 
u, as in but. 
ai, as in aisle, 
au, as in how. 

h, w, y, semivowels. 
c, as sh in should. 

f, a bilabial surd. 

g, as in get. 

g, a post-palatal sonant. 
k, as in pick. 

1, as in lull, 
m, as in mum. 
n, as in nun. 

V, as ng in sing. 

p, as in pipe. 

q, a post-palatal surd. 

r, a uvular sonant spirant. 

s, as in sauce. 

t, an alveolar stop. 

tc, as c/i in chapter. 

V, a bilabial sonant. 

2, as in sone. 



19 

ADDENDUM 

ESKIMO DANCES AMONG THE ANVIK DENE 
(KAIYUHKHOTANA). 

In the wholesale borrowing of Eskimo customs by the 
neighbouring Athabaskan tribes of the Yukon river, it is inter- 
esting to note that even minute details of ceremonial dances 
were not lost in the transfer. With the adoption of the Eskimo 
kdzgi and its chorus of drummers and characteristic seating 
arrangement we should expect the complement of winter cere- 
monials in a modified form, but hardly that they should be 
identical down to the smallest detail of procedure and para- 
phernalia of the dances. It appears from the very interesting 
account of the ceremonies of the Anvik Dene, by Chapman, 
published in Tome II of the Congres International des American- 
istes. Que., 1907, that the Kaiyuhkhotana copied the ceremonial 
life of the neighbouring Eskimo almost slavishly, without in- 
fusing into it the inherent art and spirit of the latter. 

From Chapman's description (page 15) we gather that the 
main festivals celebrated among the Anvik people were the three 
feasts of "Dolls, Animals' Souls, and Masks." The first is 
evidently the Doll Festival of the Igomiut Eskimo described by 
Nelson (page 494). This was a local feast and did not spread 
among the conservative Eskimo, although it was eagerly taken 
up by the Dene on the other side. The feast of "Animals' 
Souls" is probably the Bladder Feast of the Eskimo, while the 
feast of "Masks" is the "Inviting-In" Dance. From Chapman's 
somewhat disjointed observations we could construct a passable 
account of the Eskimo original. 

The purpose of the feasts is the same: "A thanksgiving 
for abundance of fish and game, with the intention of securing 
a further supply" (page 16). The preparation, "making masks 
representing the various spirits (inua), and figures of animals 
which correspond to them, attached to the masks, and com- 
posing songs in their honour," is the same. 

The sending of the newly-clothed messengers with an invi- 
tation stick (page 33) is another Eskimo feature, as well as 
the "reV«earsal" previous to the festival. Compare the diagram 



20 

(page 34) showing the arrangement of the Mzgi and the dancers 
with the one in the present article. They are practically the 
same, with the chorus at the rear, the dancers in front of them, 
and the spectators grouped around the sides. The use of a 
screen is also practised by the Eskimo. The principal male 
dancer featuring with two supporting female dancers, mentioned 
by Chapman on page 30, is another Eskimo characteristic. 

An examination of the masks exhibits an even more striking 
similarity. Allowing for the comparatively poor workmanship 
of the Indian, they are identical. Compare the illustrations in 
this article with those in Chapman. 

(1). The grass circlets are the same. 

(2) . The general design of the masks, mottled forehead, and 
banded mouth, is the same. The spectacled eyes, which does 
not show in the present series, is a common Eskimo feature. 

(3). Taken individually, the "Siren" mask of Chapman 
corresponds to Plate I; the "Grouse" masks belong to the 
same series as Plate X; the "Old Man" mask is one of the comic 
series represented by Plate II (what the Eskimos themselves 
think of Indian physiognomy may be seen in Plate III). 

(4). Masks similar to the "Silver Salmon Spirit" may be 
seen in Nelson's work. Their number is legion, and only 
bounded by the imagination of the Eskimo. I have personally 
seen a mask like the "Otter" mask. This variety of totemic 
mask is very common. The fact that the Anvik Dene were 
able to identify the masks in Nelson, when shown them by 
Chapman, is sufficient proof of the source of their supply. 



PLATE II. 



Comic mask. Face green, mouth, nostrils, and eyelets red, also orown. 
Hair, white reindeer. Flattened nose, 33^2 inches long. Size, 6X3 inches. 
Division of Anthropology. iVIuseum No. IV. E, <S71. 



Plate II. 




Comic mask. 



PLATE III. 



Comic mask, "Indian." Mouth, nostrils and eyelets red, also crown. 
Moustache and eyebrows black. Exaggerated nose, 4 inches long, 23-^ inches 
deep. Central feather, loon with ptarmigan tuft, 9 inches long. Border 
feathers, duck, 4 inches long. Size, 5 X 33 2 inches. Division of Anthropology. 
Museum No. IV. E, S72. 



Plate III. 




Comic mask, "Indian." 



PLATE IV 



Reindeer girdle. Worn by woman in llcindeer :ind WoH" Pack dance 
Division of Anthropology. Museum No. IV. E, STo. 



Plate IV. 




Reindeer girdle. 



PLATE V. 



Wolf skin armlets and fillet. Worn by men in Reindeer and \\olf l'a( 
dance. Division of Anthropology, Museum No-^. IV. E, 874 a, b, c. 



Plate V. 




Wolf skin armlets and fillet. 



PLATE VI. 



"Walrus" mask. Face red, muzzle black, tusks white. Hairs on muzzle 
represented by split quills, }4, to an inch and a half long. Top feather stripped 
with ptarmigan tuft, 8 inches long. Size, 5 X 3 inches. Division of Anthro- 
pology. Museum No. IV. E, 875. 



Plate VI. 




"Walrus" mask. 



PLATE VII. 



"Red Fox" masks. Head red, face white, nose black. Hair, red fox 
hair. Central feather, loon with ptarmigan tuft. Border feathers, ptarmigan. 
Left-hand mask represents male. Right-hand, female. Size, 6X4 inches. 
Division of Anthropology. Museum Nos. IV. E, 876, 877. 



PLATE VIII. 



"Wliitc Fox" mask. Head and face white, nose black. Hair, white fox 
fur (summer skin). Feathers same as red fox masks. Size, 6X3 inches. 
Divi.sion of Anthropoloo;y. Museum No. IV. E, 878. 



Plate VIII. 




"White Fox" mask 



PLATE IX. 



Armlets and fox foot, used in "Fox" dances. A stick is inserted in the 
fox foot and it is used as a baton. Division of Anthropology. Museum 
No. IV. E, 879. 



Plate IX. 




Armlets and fox foot, used in "Fox" dances 



PLATE X. 



"CroAv" mask. Hoad and left labret black, with white spots. Face 
white. Right labret, green; beak black; side pieces, representing braid.« of 
liair. Alternate pairs of rings coloured red and green, purple and green, blaek 
and green. Hair, red fox for. Feathers, ptarmigan. Central feather, crown 
with ptarmigan tuft. Size, 9X6 inches. Division of Anthropology. 
Museum No. IV. E, 880. 



Plate X. 



1 

f 








Lt* 


\s1 

I- 
E 


• *%yv;i^ 


1 



"Crow" mask. 



PLATE XL 



"Inva" mask. Worn by shaman. Face white, eyebrows and chin 
marks black. Beard, white fox. Hair, red fox fur. Feathers, loon and 
ptarmigan. Features much flattened. Size, 7X5 inche.s. Division of 
Anthropology. Mu.seum No. IV. E, 8S1. 



Plate XI. 




'Iiiva" mask. 



PLATE XII. 



"Finger" masks, used by men dancers taking animal parts. Miniature 
animal faces, red. Blaek eyes and muzzle. Feathers, loon and ptarmigan. 
Division of Ani hropology. Museum Nos. IV. E, 882 a, b, c, d. 



PLATE XIII. 



Ilandk'ts, used by women dancers supporting men taking animal parts. 
Rings wound with grass. Border feathers, loon and ptarmigan. Division 
of Anthropology. Museum Nos. IV. E, 883 a, b, c, d, e, f. 



X 



A 






9^ I A 


( 


/I 



CLASSIFIED LIST OF RECENT REPORTS OF 
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 

Since 1910, reports issued by the Geological Survey have 
been called memoirs and have been numbered Memoir 1, Memoir 
2, etc. Owing to delaj^s incidental to the publishing of reports 
and their accompanying maps, not all of the reports have been 
called memoirs, and the memoirs have not been issued in the 
order of their assigned numbers, and, therefore, the following 
list has been prepared to prevent any misconceptions arising 
on this account. 



11. 



Memoirs and Reports Published During 1910. 

REPORTS. 

Report on a geological reconnaissance of the region traversed by the 
National Transcontinental railway between Lake Nipigon and Clay lake, Ont. — 
by W. H. Collins. No. 1059. 

Report on the geological position and characteristics of the oil-shale deposits 
of Canada— by R. W. Ells. No. 1107. 

A reconnaissance across the Mackenzie mountains on the Pelly, Ross, and 
Gravel rivers, Yukon and North West Territories — by Joseph Keele. No. 1097. 

MEMOIRS— GEOLOGICAL SERIES. 

Memoik 1. No. 1, Geological Series. Geology of the Nipigon basin, Ontario — 

by Alfred W. G. WUson. 
Memoib 2. No. 2, Geological Series. Geology and ore deposits of Hedley 

Mining district, British Columbia — by Charles Camsell. 
Memoir 3. No. 3, Geological Series. Palaeoniscid fishes from the Albert shales 

of New Brunswick — by Lawrence M. Lambe. 
Memoir 5. No. A, Geological Series. Preliminary memoir on the Lewes and 

Nordenskiold Rivers coal district, Yukon Territory — by D. D. 

Cairnes. 
Memoir 6. No. 6, Geological Series. Geology of the Haliburton and Bancroft 

areas. Province of Ontario — by Frank D. Adams and Alfred E. 

Barlow. 
Memoir 7. No. 6, Geological Series. Geology of St. Bruno mountain. Province 

of Quebec — by John A. Dresser. 

MEMOIRS— TOPOGRAPHICAL SERIES. 

Memoir 11. No. 1, Topographical Series. Triangulation and spirit levelling of 
Vancouver island, B.C., 1909 — by R. H. Chapman. 



Memoirs and Reports Published During 1911 

REPORTS. 

Report on a traverse through the southern part of the North West Territories, 
from Lac Seul to Cat lake, in 1902— by Alfred W. G. Wilson. No. 1006. 

Report on a part of the North West Territories drained by the Winisk and 
Upper Attawapiskat rivers — by W. Mclnnes. No. 1080. 

Report on the geology of an area adjoining the east side of Lake Timiskaming 
—by Morley E. W^ilson. No. 1064. 

MEMOIRS— GEOLOGICAL SERIES. 

Memoir 4. A'o. 7, Geological Series. Geological reconnaissance along the line of 
the National Transcontinental railway in western Quebec — by 
W. J. Wilson. 
Memoir 8. No. 8, Geological Series. The Edmonton coal field, Alberta — by 

D. B. Dowling. 
Memohi 9. No. 9, Geological Series. Bighorn coal basin. Alberta — by G. S. 

Malloch. 
Memoir 10. No. 10, Geological Series. An instrumental survey of the shore- 
lines of the extinct lakes Algonquin and Nipissing in southwestern 
Ontario — by J. W. Goldthwait. 
Memoir 12. No. 11, Geological Series. Insects from the Tertiary lake deposits 
of the southern interior of British Columbia, collected by Mr. 
Lawrence M. Lambe, in 1906 — by Anton Handlirsch. 
Memoir 15. No. 12, Geological Series. On a Trenton Echinoderm fauna at 

Kirkfield, Ontario — by Frank S wringer. 
Memoir 16. No. 13, Geological Series. The clay and shale deposits of Nova 
Scotia and portions of New Brunswick — by Heiurich Ries, assisted 
by Joseph Keele. 



111. 

MEMOIRS— BIOLOGICAL SERIES. 

Memoir 14. No. 1, Biological Series. New species of shells collected by Mr. 
John Macoun at Barkley sound, Vancouver island, British 
Columbia — by William H. Dall and Paul Bartsch. 

Memoirs Published During 1912 

MEMOIRS— GEOLOGICAL SERIES. 

Memoir 13. No. 14, Geological Series. Southern "Vancouver island — by Charles 

H. Clapp. 
Memoir 21. No. 16, Geological Series. The geology and ore deposits of Phoenix, 

Boundary district, British Columbia — by O. E. LeRoy. 
Memoir 24. No. 16, Geological Series. Preliminary report on the clay and 

shale deposits of the western provinces — by Heinrich Ries and 

Joseph Keele. 
Memoir 27. No. 17, Geological Series. Report of the Commission appointed 

to investigate Turtle mountain, Frank, Alberta, 1911. 
Memoir 28. No. 18, Geological Series. The geology of Steeproek lake, Ontario 

— by Andrew C. Lawson. Notes on fossils from limestone of 

Steeproek lake, Ontario — by Charles D. Walcott. 

Memoirs Published During 1913 

MEMOIRS— GEOLOGICAL SERIES. 

Memoir 17. No. 28, Geological Series. Geology and economic resources of the 
Larder Lake district, Ont., and adjoining portions of Pontiac county, 
Que. — by Morley E. Wilson. 

Memoir 18. No. 19, Geological Series. Bathurst district, New Brunswick — by 
G. A. Young. 

Memoir 26. No. 34, Geological Series. Tulameen Mining district, B.C. — by 

C. Camsell. 

Memoir 29. No. 32, Geological Series. Oil and gas prospects of the northwest 

provinces of Canada — by W. Malcolm. 
Memoir 31. No. 20, Geological Series. Wheaton district, Yukon Territory — by 

D. D. Cairnes. 

Memoir 33. No. 30, Geological Series. The geology of Gowganda Mining 
division — by W. H. Collins. 

Memoir 35. No. 29, Geological Series. Reconnaissance along the National Trans- 
continental railway in southern Quebec — by John A. Dresser. 

Memoir 37. No. 22, Geological Series. Portions of Atlin district, B.C. — by 
D. D. Cairnes. 

Memoir 38. No. 31, Geological Series. Geology of the North American Cordillera 
at the forty-ninth parallel, Parts I and II — by Reginald Aldworth 
Daly. 



Memoirs Published During 1914 

MEMOIRS— GEOLOGICAL SERIES. 

Memoir 23. No. 23, Geological Series. Geology of the coast and islands between 

the Strait of Georgia and Queen Charlotte sound, B.C. — by J. 

Austen Bancroft. 
Memoir 25. No. 21, Geological Series. Report on the clay and shale deposits 

of the western provinces (Part II) — by Heinrich Ries and Joseph 

Keele. 
Memoir 30. No. 40, Geological Series. The basins of Nelson and Churchill 

rivers — by William Mclnnes. 
Memoir 20. No. 41, Geological Series. Gold fields of Nova Scotia — by W. 

Malcolm. 



IV. 



Memoirs in Press, February 23, 1914 

Memoir 40. No. 24, Geological Series. The ArchiEan geology of Rainj' lake — by 
Andrew C. Lawson. 

Memoib 32. No. 25, Geological Series. Portions of Portland Canal and Skeena 
Mining divisions, Skeena district, B.C. — by R. G. McConnell. 

Memoir 19. No. Z6, Geological Series. Geology of Mother Lode and Sunset 
mines. Boundary district, B.C. — by O. E. LeRoy. 

Memoir 22. No. 27, Geological Series. Preliminary report on the serpentines 
and associated rocks in southern Quebec — by J. A. Dresser. 

Memoir 36. No. 33, Geological Series. Geology of the Victoria and Saanich map- 
areas, B.C. — bj' C. H. Clapp. 

Memoir 39. No. 35, Geological Series. Kewagama Lake map-area, Quebec — by 
M. E. Wilson. 

Memoir 43. No. 36, Geological Series. St. Hilaire (Beloeil) and Rougemont 
mountains, Quebec — by J. J. O'Neill. 

Memoir 44. No. 37, Geological Series. Clay and shale deposits of New Bruns- 
wick — by J. Keele. 

Memoir 41. No. 38, Geological Series. The "Fern Ledges" Carboniferous flora 
of St. John, New Brunswick — by Marie C. Stopes. 

Memoir 47. No. 39, Geological Series. Clay and shale deposits of the western 
Provinces, part III — by Heinrich Ries. 

Memoir 42. No. 1, Anthropological Series. The double-curve motive in north- 
eastern Algonkian art — by Frank G. Speck. 

Memoir 48. No. 2, Anthropological Series. Some myths and tales of the Ojibwa 
of southeastern Ontario — collected by Paul Radin. 

Memoir 45. No. 3, Anthropological Series. The inviting-in feast of the Alaska 
Eskimo — by E. W. Hawkes. 

Memoir 49. Anthropological Series. Malecite tales — by W. H. Mechling. 



<^^, 



i-". 



y? 



